Dream Big, Work Hard - SM Foundation celebrates 20th batch of scholar-graduates

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SM Scholars 2016

SM Foundation celebrated another milestone under its education program as it produced 225 graduates from its 20th batch of scholars since its college scholarship program started in 1993. 

This year’s Presentation of Graduates produced 71 honor students of which, 4 are summa cum laude, 11 are magna cum laude, 44 are cum laude, and 12 finished with academic distinction.

This year’s theme of ‘Dream big, Work hard’, emphasizes and strengthens SM Foundation's continuing commitment of providing opportunities for the youth who best exemplifies its founder Henry Sy, Sr’s words of ‘Dream Big’.

Henry Sy and his vision has been a constant inspiration to the youth, SM scholars. As the heart of the SM group of companies, SM Foundation is focused on social development and helps the underprivileged in communities where SM is present.

SM Foundation was established in 1983 by Henry Sy, Sr. and Felicidad T. Sy, anchored on its founding principle of PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.

Henry Sy, SM Founder and Board of Chairman, celebrates with the SM  Scholars 

SM Foundation is committed to serve by supporting and empowering its host communities through education, healthcare, shelter, disaster response, farmers’ training, environmental programs and care for persons with special needs. SMFI work hand in hand with our communities to create opportunities and improve lives.

Creating Better Opportunities for the Future

Henry Sy, Sr. believes that education is the best defense against poverty. We at SM Foundation provide the youth both college and technical-vocational scholarship grants to help them achieve their dreams.  

Dream Big Work Hard: SM Foundation 20th Presentation of Scholar Graduates press conference held at the SMX Mall of Asia, May 25, 2016.

During the SM Scholars presentation, Kim Atienza, more known as ‘Kuya Kim’, was  the guest this year’s as keynote speaker. Atienza hosts a weekly science and environmental-centric show Matanglawin and is currently the resident weather anchor in ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol segment ‘Weather-Weather Lang’.

An exclusive job offer was also held for scholars preceding the event. The SM scholar-graduates completed their courses in accountancy, computer science, information technology, education, computer engineering, electronics and communications engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering.

They were interviewed by the human resources team of participating SM companies which include SM Investments, Inc., Shopping Center Management Corp., SM Department Store, SM Retail, SM Food Group (Supermarket, Hypermarket, Savemore and Alfamart), Uniqlo, H&M, Body Shop and Asia Pacific College, to name a few.

SM Foundation has, to date, produced a total of 2,385 graduates under its college scholarship program. Most of its graduates are now gainfully employed or running their own businesses here and abroad. A number of them have opted to work with SM and its related companies. 

#smiskolarako

The best of Taiwan comes to Manila - “Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up Store”

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“Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up Store” debuted in the Philippines to support Taiwanese manufacturers in exporting products to the country while giving Filipinos a fresh impression of Taiwan. The Philippines is only the store’s first stop in the ASEAN region this 2016.

Authorized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the Commerce Development Research Institute (CDRI) ran the week-long exhibition from May 23 to 29 with the theme “Let’s Home Party!” the at the Glorietta Mall to showcase products that appealed especially to younger consumersm.

“We’ve studied the Philippine market for years, and have seen that the youth made up most of the population,” said Josh Kang, Director of the Department of Global Marketing & Consulting Division of Marketing Research, Wow! Taiwan Selects.

“We were convinced about the strong market potential of the country, and that’s why we decided on a store theme that grabs the attention of young Filipinos.”

The pop-up store featured delicacies, cosmetics, fashion, technology, and modern household goods catering to a younger market. The store was designed to exude a party-like vibe, while the use of bright, energetic colors such as blue, yellow, and orange that created an atmosphere modern Filipino families would enjoy.

For the Philippines, 15 popular Taiwanese brands were introduced, with freebies and demos so guests would get a taste of Taiwan’s best.

Featured beauty and skincare brands included Dr. Morita, a facial mask brand that has sold 30 million pieces worldwide; Naruko, which makes natural skincare products; TS6, a globally famous probiotic brand for women’s health; Hydron, the top Taiwanese contact lens brand; Dr. Formula, a body and beauty care line developed by a professional medical team; and City Color, a brand known for its affordable fashion cosmetic products.

As for lifestyle, the pop-up store introduced Filipino consumers to Sakura, one of the best brands in integrated kitchenware; KTV-Brio, the smart mobile product manufacturer; O’Ringo, a well-known handmade leather shoe brand in Taiwan; and Kimo Footwear, which adopts German design to Asian needs to design comfortable shoes.

Finally, guests indulged in delectable treats and beverages from Taiwan, including Seven Seven, a chocolate snack brand that has sold 6.75 billion chocolate treats worldwide; Taiwan Beer, an authentic Taiwanese beer in classic and fruit flavors; Sweet Mountain, which offers updated versions of traditional cookies and jelly treats; Royal Family, a brand famous for its Japanese-style rice cake; and Yon Ho, a soy milk brand that is popular internationally.

The “Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up Store” will next be making stops in Indonesia and Vietnam.

For more about the featured products, please visit http://www.wowtaiwanselects.tw.

Looking for fresh and healthy food? Die-hard seafood lovers, visit FreshOnline.ph!

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We always love to have healthy and fresh food. Seafood is one of the popular food choices in the world. We really love seafood for its health benefits, freshness and rich taste.

As the concern of eating healthy and good food is increasing day by day, people are opting for healthy seafood dishes. Seafoods contain many essential health benefiting vitamins and nutrients. 

Fish or shellfish in the diet, makes a healthy eating alternative, packed with energy, protein, essential vitamins and less fat.

For seafood lovers, here's something to you can enjoy everyday. Visit FreshOnline.ph. 

A media professional, Eleen Kee, turns a seafood fanatic wants to share love...wants you to enjoy the day’s freshest catch, almost as soon as it is out of the water.

Eleen Kee, FreshOnline Co-Founder

They want you to feel like you grew up in a seafood-loving family that would have fresh seafood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

With FreshOnline.Ph products, you don't have to worry about what to prepare for your family.

FreshOnline.Ph deliver fresh, delectable & high quality products right to your doorstep.

Why FreshOnline?

There is a perception that seafood is pricey. We simplified the seafood distribution chain (cold storage, transportation, and distribution), so we can give all the savings back to seafood fans. We are affordable.

From Hook to Table

FreshOnline work tirelessly with fishermen and suppliers to secure best premium seafood at source, flash frozen to seal in the quality, and bring the seafood directly to you, without the need for a middleman.

Healthiest Catch, On-The-Go

FreshOnline want to make eating healthy seafood an easy option. In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of convenience is key.  FreshOnline do all the dirty work for you:

FreshOnline scour the markets for the freshest catch  

Dress, clean, scale and de-vein the seafood  

Pack it in cooking-size portions with specially prepared saucesAffordably

Great Seafood Selection

FreshOnline carries more than 50 different kinds of seafood, including fish, shrimp, squids, shellfish, and hard-to- find gourmet selections of premium imported crabs, scallops, and geoduck clams.

An offer canned luxury seafood— even dessert!

Enjoy Your Seafood— With A Smile - No-Mess

The team scouts the world tirelessly to source the freshest, world-class seafood produce. FreshOnline bring it to your table, at your convenience, with an attractive price tag. Sign up today to be part of FreshOnline family!

With FreshOnline, no more waking up early to go to the smelliest wet market in order to get good seafood. No more stinky kitchen. No more messy and smelly remains to dispose. Just unpack and cook!

Money-Back Guarantee / Cook Seafood

At FreshOnline, you are family and ensuring your dining pleasure is our first priority. Every purchase comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This is FreshOnline's commitment.

If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, please contact us within 24 hours of your delivery and we will work with you to make it right or give you a refund.

The FreshOnline.ph Fresh Selection

FreshOnline selection includes fish and seafood not readily available in the market because of their sheer size. Among these are abalone, black tiger shrimps, and sashimi scallops—most of which are sold only in their small sizes.

Fifteen pieces of black tiger shrimp from us could weigh as much as 1kg. Imagine how seafood of that size will delight your guests? You and your family deserve the best, too. Sign up and check out FreshOnline products.

Fresh. Ease. Affordable.

Ready To Be Served

The products that are ready to be served. Instead of spending a lot of time preparing your seafood, order from us and see how easily you can serve your favorite seafood. Choose from sashimi octopus, teriyaki salmon, giant squid, and cooked shrimp.

Premium But Affordable

FreshOnline offer premium seafood products not available locally. They are hard to find or—if you do find them—could be heavy on the pocket. FreshOnline take away that perception and make sure these products are accessible and affordable.

Get the freshest seafood at the most affordable price straight to your door.

Sign up and shop at http://www.freshonline.ph !

High-five to Torayvino Water Purifier

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If you believe that the water delivered to your house, either by the usual utility firm or refilling station, is potable and safe for you and your family, think again. Unfortunately, there are a number of factors that may compromise the quality of drinking water, whether coming from the kitchen faucet or filtered and bottled.

Considering the unreliability of piping systems in the country, the water distributed by major concessionaires and local water districts may not be fit for drinking as it can be adulterated by old, dilapidated or illicit pipe connections. Water from refilling stations dotting almost everywhere, on the other hand, comes mostly in non-BPA containers, which are also not guaranteed to be properly cleaned 100% of the time, and may be exposed to pollutants during preparation, storage or delivery.

Good thing there is the Torayvino Water Purifier––a new filtration solution now available in the local market. Torayvino promises effective remedy to the many hassles linked to having your water sourced from the tap or delivered right at your doorsteps.

Here are the five best reasons why this should be your top choice:

1. The four-stage purification system.

 Producing a 99.99 percent bacteria-free water is, without any doubt, possible with Torayvino. This is because of its four stages of filtration. At first, when the water undergoes the prescreen process, impurities larger than 465 microns, such as rust, sands, sediment and particles are initially taken away. Those larger than 114 microns are then removed in the second screen. Elimination of residual chlorine, harmful chemicals and bad smell comes next as the water passes through the granular activated carbon. It is the optimal hollow fiber membrane structure that lastly removes contaminants larger than 0.1 micron, including the bacteria and other microorganisms, rust, turbidity, and microscopic impurities. This technology, which is also used in dialysis machines and artificial kidneys, provides low elution and high flow rate of water. Interestingly, calcium, magnesium and other essential minerals are retained even during filtration. So demineralization of water is never a problem with this kind of technology.

2. Powerful yet compact.

Being a faucet-mounted water purifier, Torayvino is so handy and small that it fits at the palm of your hands. It is easy-to-install, without the need for plumbing. Each unit has a set of attachments designed to match any size of kitchen faucets available in the market. It is indeed space-saving, compact and portable, perfect for condo residents, particularly those who dwell in smaller units.

3. Pocket- and Earth-friendly.

This technology is more reasonable than what you can get from water delivery. While each of Torayvino's four models is priced from P1,980 to P4,980, it actually offers savings in the long run since it only costs the buyers P0.92 per liter, versus  P1.85 a liter for water bought from refilling stations. Unlike other water purifiers, it's more eco-friendly due to its unfiltered spray that allows consumers to save water up to 30 percent. What's more, it operates without electricity, thus helping minimize the household carbon footprint.

4. Trusted technology.

 Made in Japan, users cannot go wrong with Torayvino in ensuring the health of their family. This holds true to the most technologically advanced country's global reputation for quality and attention to details. Such confidence is further sealed by the brand's conformity with the Japan Industrial Standards. Not to mention, of course, is the certification and approval it gained from the Philippine Department of Health. These are what set it apart from majority of water refilling stations on record that is not consistently compliant with the government-imposed registration and operation requirements.

5. Leading brand.

Manufactured by a diversified company called Toray Industries, Inc., this purifying solution has a strong presence in Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Central America and South America. It's a dominant brand in Japan, with 66 percent share of the market for the faucet-mounted type. In the Philippines, this product is exclusively distributed by homegrown company Moduvi, Inc. Currently, it is available in modern hardwares like True Value and All Home, as well as condo-partners.

Hooray for Toray! This multinational corporation packed the most technologically advanced and efficient features in the compact Torayvino Water Purifier, making it a truly relevant product of its kind in today's time.

AXN Announces The Amazing Race Asia Season 5

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Casting Call Kick Off 

The Amazing Race Asia, the world’s most popular adventure reality series, is returning to AXN later this year and this time it’s more adrenaline-fueled than ever before. 

In this latest season, 10 teams of socially savvy, fearless warriors from all over Asia will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, traversing the globe and proving their mettle on a quest to be crowned the all-out champion. The highly anticipated series will be hosted by Chinese-American actor and host Allan Wu, who was the face of the race for AXN’s first four seasons. 

“The Amazing Race Asia takes viewers on the world’s most thrilling adventure where drama, surprise and intensity all collide in a highly dramatic edge-of-your-seat experience,” said Virginia Lim, Vice President and Head of Content and Marketing. 

“We’re seeking dynamic teams who embody the AXN attitude that is smart, tenacious, determined and strong. A passion for social media is also a key requirement as contestants will be engaging with AXN’s viewers and sharing their heart-pumping experiences throughout the race.”

Traveling to multiple countries in the shortest amount of time, each team will arrive at a new destination where they must compete in a series of physical, mental - and often emotional -challenges. Only when the tasks are completed will the teams learn of their next exotic location. Teams who fall the farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning The Amazing Race Asia and the USD$100,000 cash prize.

Be Part of the Action. Apply Now!

The casting call is ON via AXN’s website:

"http://www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA" www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA.

All interested participants can submit their applications in teams of two, and must be living and/or working in Asia. All contestants are required to be over 21 years of age, must speak English, and possess both a valid passport and an international driving licence. 

Participants can visit www.axn-asia.com/TARA, fill out the application details and send AXN a link to their audition video of up to three minutes’ in duration. All information on The Amazing Race Asia can be found on www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA. 

The Amazing Race Asia is brought to you by Wonderful Indonesia.